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A BOOK OF VERSE 

BY O ♦'^Icl-a.i^'"^ "^ 



J»9«2«0 



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Copyright by Oscar RJchardson 



EB 1 i B2Q 



Thomas Todd Co. Printers, Boston 



©CU56J.71J9 









TO MY WIFE 



FOREWORD 

To the late Rev^ O* O* Wright I am 
indebted beyond words for his friendly^ 
unfailing: interest and sympathetic criti- 
cism in my attempts to give thoughts 
expression in verse* 

I am indebted to Miss Louella D* Everett 
for much assistance in secretarial work^ 
and to Mr* Thomas Todd, Jr*, for the 
production of the book* 

O'R 



THE RETURN OF THE YANKEE DIVISION 

OVER HERE 

THE AFTERMATH OF WAR 

P^AN OF THE IMMORTALS 

THE VISION OF THE ARMISTICE 



m 



THE RETURN OF THE YANKEE DIVISION 

Again the Drams of War awake the land 
And Freedom's Tocsin on the air resounds, 

As like Crusader knights of old, 

New England's sons sail overseas 
To fight on Freedom's battlegrounds* 

At home, their Service Star of blue 

Is hedged in glory on the window-pane; 
And still in vision they are ever seen, 
Undaunted, charging from entrenched camps 
Through Hell of battle-lines aflame* 

Some live, and Service Stars of blue 

Shine on in hedge of golden glory; 
Some give their all, and Glory turns 
Their Stars of blue to Stars of gold, 
To light the way to Victory* 

• * • « « « 

They triumph on that distant bourne. 
But still at home, with grateful hearts. 
We long for their return* 
The home fires burn, the feast is spread. 
And chairs are set and wreaths are hung 
For both the living and the dead* i 

The portals of our hearts and homes 
Are open wide* — Oh, enter in I 

April, J9J9* 

[2] 



OVER HERH 
Tune of '' Scots Wha Hae ** 

Yanks, who have for Freedom bled; 
Yanks, whom General Edwards led. 
Welcome to Old Boston^s spread, — 
Love and jobs galore* 

Yanks, with Freedom for their slogan; 
Yanks, who fottght with Cole and Logan; 
Well, you are Old Boston's vogue — an' 
Loved for evermore* 

April, J9J9. 



[3] 



THE AFTERMATH OF WAR 

War is Sort ow^ 

Bttt upon the glad tomorrow^ 

And 'tis waged for Freedom, 

War is Sorrow 

Crowned triumphant in her tears* 

ApriU J9J9, 



[4] 



P^AN OF THE IMMORTALS 

Through the ages since the world began, 
Man and prototypes of man 
Have struggled upwards from the mire, 
Impelled by some Indwelling Fire 
Towards the tablelands of Freedom* 

On every higher tableland attained 
The living Fire within them flamed, 
Forever urging on with one clear thought 
That Freedom greater must be sought — 
And so the heritage from sire to son 
Was that to die for Freedom ere 'tis won, 
A deathless triumph is and Victory* 

Then Sorrow's silent vale of gloom 

Becomes transfigured at the glorious tomb. 

Wherever freemen gave their all and died 

On Flanders' broken fields and Ocean's surging tide* 

Content they rest, enshrined in Freedom's story. 

For on those fields and decks of Glory 

Their deathless triumph vision gave 

Of dawning Peace and world-wide Freedom* 

Then Hail ! All Hail ! Ye spirits free. 
Who freemen died on land and sea. 

As from your glorious throng 

Descends immortal song 
Of War to cease and Mankind free* 

Apra, J9J9. 

[5] 



THE VISION OF THE ARMISTICE 

**My coantry is the World, 
My countrymen all Mankind/' 

—GARRISON. 

Inscription on his statue. 



In the calm of monttmental bronze 

He watches o'er the joyous city^ 

And the very metal is illumed 

When at the dawn, like Memnon's statue^ 

In the harmony of Peace on bells intuned^ 

He speaks again for world-wide freedom; 

Telling all that old thingfs pass away. 

And that today, through all the ages* 

Times of trial and of tribulations, 

On our vision looms the coming 

Of the Commonwealth of Nations* 

May, X9J9. 



[6] 



PORTRAITS 

THE NAME 

JEAN 

ANNA 

LUCY 

REV- O* O* WRIGHT 



[7] 



THE NAME 

A ia,ded card with corner roses red, 
And printed on it verses twain, 

Which rest the one above, 

The other ^neath a woman's name* 

The name in dear, familiar script 
Shines forth a gfolden chain to me. 

Entwined forever with the verse refrain 
Which reads, ^* Sweet memories of thee/' 

Ah, how the primal love-call's thrill 
Triumphant surges o'er all other, 

In resurrection from your dust, 
My Mother, Oh, my Mother! 

December, J9J9. 



[8] 



JEAN 

Just as the scent of the heathet 

Means Scotland forever 

To yoUf My Dc^tiCf 
So the fragfrance of yo«r life's endeavor 

Means a joy forever 

To us, My Dearie* 

Oh, the hills are hard to climb 
And keep the step in mind 

Forever, Lassie; 
Btft a wreath for endless service borne 
Unconquered lifts your head above the storm 

For evermore, My Lassie* 

High road or low, 'tis mostly bitter sweet; 
And for all the trials met, sair I grete 

For ye, My Dearie* 
Still the fragrance of yottr life's endeavor 

Sweetens ours forever 

And forever. Dearie* 

May, J9X9* 



[9] 



ANNA 

Her mind in beauty gleams. 
Within its mesh of living clay, 

A fair oasis 

On the desert sands; 
And from its fount of reason 

Wisdom floweth, 
Where those weary souls distracted, 
Led forever on by life's mirages, 
Longed-for drafts of consolation find, 
An unexpected balm for hurts of mind* 

July, m% 



[JO] 



LUCY 

Dark-haifed daughter of Minervat 

Ever seeking after truth, 
She layeth all upon the altar, 

Mind and body, strength and youth; 
And from the ashes of her life's endeavor 

Nobler concepts of humanity and man 

Shall, Phoenix-like, arise forever* 
* • * * « 

Hark ! from out the flaming pyre 

Resounds the music grand 

Of time's immortal choir* 

August, J9J9. 



[H] 



REV. O. O. WRIGHT 

He passed aIon§f my road in life, 
A kindly, gracious presence, 
Moving as the Master moved 
Along the old Judean roads 
And on the Sea of Galilee* 

Through the mantle of his clay 
His soul shone forth to all, 
A sacred fire in lamp of alabaster* 
So I saw him, met him on the Way, 
And evermore I follow after* 

December, J9J9. 



[J2] 



THE PILGRIM 
AND 
THE HEAVENWARD WAY 



[J3] 



THE PILGRIM 

To the Pilgtitn on the Way 
It seems as dear as day^ 
The tide doth rise, or it doth f allt 

To us — in tfs, 

As we — in God« 

Jane, J9J9. 



[H] 



THE HEAVENWARD WAY 



[J5] 



THE HEAVENWARD WAY 

Enshrined for a§fes in the star dust. 
Like a precious stone in mesh of clay. 

The Harbinger of spirit life 

Casts only illumed shadow 
Of a Heavenward Way« 

In the measureless eternal Accent, 
On creation's wings ascending 
From the soil and muck of time, 
It attains a peak of thought, 
Where the Way is heralded 
In the mind of ancient man* 

By prophet mind the thought translated 
From the burning writ of life's great ritual. 

Acclaims that Virtue comes in moments 

Gleaming through the Veil of Vice habitual, 
Like shining stars 

Athwart the blackness of the night* 

Through time's encircling years. 
Amidst the storming clouds of doubt. 
The Peak with awful, flaming rays 
In broken gleams reveals the Way ; 
And so the living thought resistless spreads 
To reach upon the air of doubt and storm. 
Fulfillment in the shining Sacred Land 
Beneath the Star of Bethlehem* 

[J6] 



THE HEAVENWARD WAY 

In the Accent of the Life Divine 

In old Jtfdea's Holy Land, 

Na«§:ht but fleeing shadows trace the Veil, 

And Virtue's mergfing moments, 

Spirit-winged and flaming clear, 
Reveal the Shining Way 

In life of every sphere* 

Now the thought transfigured 
In the Light of Bethlehem's Star, 

Leads the Pilgrim bravely on 
Through the night of doubt and storm. 
Till o'er the Heavenward Way 

Shall break Celestial Morn* 

June — Augttst, J9J9* 



[J7] 



CROW POINT 



[J9] 



CROW POINT 

On the brim of Hmgham's lovely harbor, 
In a quiet nook just off the sea, 

The flood of tide serene 
In momentary calm and beauty rests, 

Within reflected shores of living green. 

'Neath mirrored sky the shore's overspread 
By opalescent wash of pale to dark blue tide, 

Across whose lovely sheen 
Two boats with slightest motion sail. 

And add a touch of beauty to the scene* 

As balmy zephyrs gently waft them on. 
Their sails are never-ending silver layers 

Gleaming softly in the tide of blue. 
With darker shadow lances of the masts 

In lines of beauty running through. 

When caressed by breezes on the distant flood. 
They disappear forever with the turning tide. 
Oh then, from out the shadows 

Of the trees so green and fair. 
The haunting, flute-Iike notes of joyous bird 

In salutation float upon the heavenly air* 



[20] 



CROW POINT 

At last, from out the dusky, golden West, 
The evening candle of the sky shines clear 
And lights the closing day to rest. 
The whirr of homing bird is heard 
And firefly lamps 

Are all alight, 
As fading shore and twilight glow 
Are blotted out by merging shadows. 

And 'tis Night, 

Oh still, in memory's aftermath, 

From Fancy's harbor shore, 

Hope's thrilling song 

An echoing thought inspires. 

That in Life's grinding round. 

So oft despairing. 

Moments rare in beauty come; 

And in their gathered spirit power. 

Sailing on the conquering tide of time, 

We shall in triumph, 

Through the flood gates of the harbor, 

Make the Port we sail to find. 

May 3J, X9J9. 



[2n 



GRIP AND GOBLIN 



[23] 



GRIP AND GOBLIN 

Once within my chamber dim, 
When the shadows lift 
And the light creeps in 
At the witching hour of morn, 
I beheld a Goblin black, 
But 'twas only my pet cat, 

Perched intent and still 
At the well-Ioved level 

Of the casement window silL 

At the tracery of trees and rocks 
Which overlooks a loved lagoon, 
Goblin through the window gazed 
With intentness that suggested thoughts 
A well-known call and round he turned 
And down he came, a sable cat 
With joyful eyes of topaz flame* 

In purring speech, ^'Good morn,'' he said, 
**Why linger ye so long in bed?" 
And then I stroked his arching back. 
And tantalizing down the stairs he fled* 
But 'neath the home light's evening glow. 

When we have gathered round the table. 
Then in all that's going on 

Be sure my friend in sable 
Takes a hand and fills a gap 

For which none else is able* 

[24] 



GRIP AND GOBLIN 

Often doing stttnts Fve taught him 
Goines a trick of turn and glance of eye 
Which wipe away the years gone by; 

And quite distinct and clear^ 
Through the sheen of mem'ry^s tears^ 

Again I see^ again I hear 
My silver-white bull terrier^ 
Now dead these many years^ 

Grip by name and nature too, 
And dogs like him I wish you knew; 
And though a mighty battler for his right, 
Yet no more loving heart was ever seen* 

And so to children he was guide and friend, 
A very dove for gentleness, 

And like a lion to defend* 

Ah ! how his memory warms the heart. 
And how the life stream swifter flows. 
As now his loving, roguish face 

From out the past shines forth to me* 
And so at times it seems quite clear 
He looks not from the days gone by. 
But somewhere on ahead of me 
He longing looks and waiteth patiently* 



[25] 



GRIP AND GOBLIN 

Goblin's taught me quite a little^ 

And from Grip mttch knowledge spread ; 

Still, Goblin's but a super-cat, 

While Grip, who had no faults at all 

And gave his love forever. 

Was only my old, loving friend. 

My silver-white bull terrier* 

Now in time, and on old Charon's boat, 

I, like all, must cross the river Styx; 

And if upon the further bank 

I hear a gladsome bark. 

And forward of the pushing prow 

I hear a faint meow. 

And catch a gleam of silver white 

And lights of topa^ flame, 

ni know we're homeward bound. 

And o'er the whelming flood so vast 

Shall make the Home Port safe at last* 

July— August, J9J9. 



[26] 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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